Senior Solution Architect

Job Description

How will your role impact First Command?

The Senior Solution Architect role leads solutions evaluation, design, and analysis for the implementation of a solution architecture across product lines and technologies using enterprise digital strategies, business capabilities, and architecture standards. The role is expected to partner with other architects, senior leaders, and product teams to create scalable, flexible, and resilient architectures that address customer business problems.

First Command is looking to hire experienced and motivated technologists who possess a unique balance of technical depth and strong interpersonal skills to launch and grow new platform services while partnering with some of the most recognizable partners in financial services. To be effective this role must have experience in designing solutions across application, data, infrastructure, and cloud architectures, and be comfortable with complex systems design. The Solutions Architect must be a senior technologist who has been in design and implementation leadership roles on multiple projects throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). This person must be able to provide guidance around architecture, technology standards, and best practices, and clearly and concisely communicate ideas and share information with executive staff, business sponsors, and technical resources.

The Senior Solution Architect role reports to the Associate Director of Solution Architecture in the Business Information Services (BIS) organization.

What will you be doing?

• Assess the systems architecture currently in place and working with the business and technical staff to recommend solutions to improve it
• Build and integrate solutions to meet the company's needs
• Resolve technical problems as they arise
• Continually research current and emerging technologies and propose changes where needed
• Inform various stakeholders about any problems with the current technical solutions being implemented
• Assess the business impact that certain technical choices have
• Define and drive execution of technical enablers toward operational excellence of solutions
• Provide updates to stakeholders on product development processes, costs, and budgets
• Enable adoption of architecture standards, DevOps practices, and technology standards

What skills/qualifications do you need?

Education

• Bachelor's degree or comparable experience is required

Work Experience

• 7-9 years of progressive experience in technology, including application development and engineering
• 3-5 years of experience with business analysis and systems design
• 3-5 years of experience in a leadership role (manager, team lead, etc.)

Certifications

• Azure or AWS Solution Architect preferred or acquired within first 6 months of the role
• Leading SAFe preferred or acquired within first 6 months of the role
• SAFe Architect preferred or acquired within first 12 months of the role
• SAFe Lean Portfolio Management preferred or acquired within first 12 months of the role

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to design architectural aspects of solutions across architectural domains (application, middleware/services, data, infrastructure, and cloud)
• Willingness and desire to learn
• Ability to move things forward in an ambiguous environment
• Strong team player with outstanding communication, organization, and collaboration skill
• Excellent listener with a positive and collaborative attitude who possesses skills in conflict-resolution, behavior influencing, and leadership
• Active engagement in external technology and product communities with a network of professional contacts outside of the organization
• Experienced and comfortable working with executives and senior leaders
• Use experience, knowledge, and expertise to influence decision making
• Proven professional with strong change management and communications acumen
• Able to challenge norms to improve the process and create efficiencies
• Able to hold team members accountable and provide relevant and timely feedback
• Critical Thinking and problem solving
• Able to facilitate group discussions in an effective and efficient way
• Able to resolve interpersonal conflicts among team members
• Able to listen and support teams in problem identification and decision-making
• Able to understand and empathize with others
• Encourage and support the personal development of each individual and the development of teams
• Coach people with powerful questions rather than use authority
• Can think beyond day-to-day activities; thinks big picture
• Be open and appreciate openness in others
• Be a servant leader

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